New teacher hiring, firing laws take effect

Published: Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.

Terrebonne Parish teachers will find it harder to get tenure and easier to get laid off after the School Board overhauled its policy manual Tuesday night.

The sweeping changes, which deleted swaths of board policy governing how the school system hires and fires its employees, were largely a formality — board members had little choice but to bring their rules in line with new state laws.

“This is not something we proposed. This isn’t even something we wanted,” said board member Roger Dale DeHart. “But we didn’t have the choice. The state has come down and told us this is how it’s going to be, and we have to do what they say.”

Pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and approved by the legislature, the new rules make it more difficult for teachers to get tenure.

Previously a teacher earned tenure after three years of service in the school system. To earn tenure now, a teacher must earn a “highly effective” rating on the state’s new COMPASS evaluation system five years in a six-year period.

COMPASS uses student scores on standardized tests and principal evaluations to judge a teacher’s job performance. The system hasn’t been around long enough to accurately judge how many teachers might earn the “highly effective” rating.

Teachers who have tenure will keep it, though any teacher who gets an “ineffective rating” will lose tenure.

Without tenure, teachers can be let go seven days after receiving a letter stating reasons for their firing. The process for tenured teachers takes longer and involves stricter oversight.

Among other things, the changes also place decisions for who to hire, who to fire and where a teacher should be assigned solely in the hands of principals and the school superintendent.

The board’s actions on Tuesday mean those rules are now school policy and begin immediately.

Jindal and his legislative allies argue the changes will let school administrators place teachers where they can be most effective and reward teachers who are best serving students, while allowing them the flexibility to remove teachers who aren’t effective.

Those changes have some teachers upset. At Tuesday’s board meeting, teacher Kenneth Fountain, who sits on the school system’s employee representation committee, told the board he didn’t agree with the changes.

“These are changes to our contract in the middle of a school year. We don’t think it’s fair,” Fountain said. “The state has decided to put the blame on teachers, and we don’t think that’s right.”

Several board members said they wouldn’t be implementing the changes had the state not forced their hand.

“I understand why teachers are upset. I’m upset too,” DeHart said. “These changes are so big and happening so fast. It’s a like they were bought by a new company and all of a sudden that company was taking away their vacation time or making changes like that.”

DeHart said he thinks teachers should be especially worried because everything is happening so fast.

“A year ago I said they made the biggest changes to schools ever. Well, that was going to kindergarten compared to this year,” DeHart said. “Jindal and his administration have changed more than anyone else faster than anyone else. It’s coming so fast we almost don’t know what to do with it.”

Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.

<p>Terrebonne Parish teachers will find it harder to get tenure and easier to get laid off after the School Board overhauled its policy manual Tuesday night. </p><p>The sweeping changes, which deleted swaths of board policy governing how the school system hires and fires its employees, were largely a formality — board members had little choice but to bring their rules in line with new state laws.</p><p>“This is not something we proposed. This isn't even something we wanted,” said board member Roger Dale DeHart. “But we didn't have the choice. The state has come down and told us this is how it's going to be, and we have to do what they say.”</p><p>Pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and approved by the legislature, the new rules make it more difficult for teachers to get tenure. </p><p>Previously a teacher earned tenure after three years of service in the school system. To earn tenure now, a teacher must earn a “highly effective” rating on the state's new COMPASS evaluation system five years in a six-year period. </p><p>COMPASS uses student scores on standardized tests and principal evaluations to judge a teacher's job performance. The system hasn't been around long enough to accurately judge how many teachers might earn the “highly effective” rating. </p><p>Teachers who have tenure will keep it, though any teacher who gets an “ineffective rating” will lose tenure.</p><p>Without tenure, teachers can be let go seven days after receiving a letter stating reasons for their firing. The process for tenured teachers takes longer and involves stricter oversight.</p><p>Among other things, the changes also place decisions for who to hire, who to fire and where a teacher should be assigned solely in the hands of principals and the school superintendent. </p><p>The board's actions on Tuesday mean those rules are now school policy and begin immediately. </p><p>Jindal and his legislative allies argue the changes will let school administrators place teachers where they can be most effective and reward teachers who are best serving students, while allowing them the flexibility to remove teachers who aren't effective.</p><p>Those changes have some teachers upset. At Tuesday's board meeting, teacher Kenneth Fountain, who sits on the school system's employee representation committee, told the board he didn't agree with the changes. </p><p>“These are changes to our contract in the middle of a school year. We don't think it's fair,” Fountain said. “The state has decided to put the blame on teachers, and we don't think that's right.”</p><p>Several board members said they wouldn't be implementing the changes had the state not forced their hand. </p><p>“I understand why teachers are upset. I'm upset too,” DeHart said. “These changes are so big and happening so fast. It's a like they were bought by a new company and all of a sudden that company was taking away their vacation time or making changes like that.”</p><p>DeHart said he thinks teachers should be especially worried because everything is happening so fast.</p><p>“A year ago I said they made the biggest changes to schools ever. Well, that was going to kindergarten compared to this year,” DeHart said. “Jindal and his administration have changed more than anyone else faster than anyone else. It's coming so fast we almost don't know what to do with it.”</p><p>Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.</p>